AbstractIncreased longevity is occurring worldwide with the greatest increase in the numbers of the very old. Many gerontological scholars have noted that these changes pose a risk of exclusion of the very old whose ability to participate in society may be compromised by bodily challenges. While the growing number of people aged 80 years and over raises many issues concerning health and social care needs, demands for a skilled workforce, and scope for technical innovations designed to compensate for the infirmities of advanced old age, these topics tend to exclude consideration of the everyday experiences, interests and wishes of those in deep old age. The qualitative research reported here focuses on people in advanced old age and the associated corporeal challenges they may face, set in the context of living on the San Juan islands off the coast of Washington in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The participants of this study were islanders ranging in age from 80 to 102 years with a median age of 83 (M = 85.9, SD = 5.95). A mixture of semistructured interview and a photo elicitation methodology was employed. The results of the study demonstrated that, while integral to daily life in deep old age, corporeal challenges per se did not necessarily lead to a sense of exclusion, at least in the context of island life. Thematic analysis of the findings suggested the importance of context in framing corporeality, and the need to look beyond objective indicators of disability and function to acknowledge the role of social belonging in ensuring the continuing citizenship and social engagement of people in their ninth decade and beyond.